Fuel pump protector



Sept w36.' J. E. FOSTER f FUEL PUMP PROTECTOR Filed March 7, 19:56

` Srwentor Fig.2.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 site stares earner tries 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a fuel pump protector for use upon motorvehicles employing internal combustion engines as a motive power, thepump referred to being depended upon for supplying the 5 carbureter withliquid fuel from th-e supply tank of the vehicle, the operation of thesepumps generally being that, at each rotation of the crank shaft, alimited quantity of liquid fuel Will be drawn from the supply tank anddelivered.

In the use of these pumps it is well known that when the vehicle isexposed to freezing temperatures, a flow of liquid fuel, such asgasoline, through the pump-valve will often be prevented on account ofcondensation or a frozen condition of the liquid fuel in the pump.

The invention has for its object, broadly, to provide a frost-protectoror means to prevent condensation or freezing of the fuel in the pump.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the written descriptionand accompanying drawing and as pointed out by the appended claims, itbeing understood that I may make changes in form, size, proportion ofparts and kinds of material as found to be of advantage, said changesbeing within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a fuel pump, andbroken away parts showing its operating connections.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the pump taken at rightangles to the view shownin Fig. 1, a heat-insulating jacket on the pumpcasing being shown inlongitudinal section, and Fig. 3 is av plan view of a coupling-band.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, theinvention is shown and described in connection with a two-part fuel pumpbest shown in Fig. l, the body-portion l of the pump casing beingprovided with an intake pipe 5 in communication with a fuel supply tank(not shown) and having an exit-pipe l for conducting fuel from the pumpto the carbureter of the engine, said part l being provided near its topwith a flange l.

The lower part of the pump-casing is indicated at 8, and at 9 .areindicated coupling-ledges for the parts l and S of the casing securedtogether by bolts lll.

The parts thus mentioned relate to a fuel pump in general use, but itwill be understood that the herein described protector may be applied toother types of fuel pumps.

In Fig. l of the drawing is shown means for operating the pump, a partof a rotatable crank 55 shaft l l being provided with a projection I2(Cl. 10S-202) adapted, at each rotation of the crank shaft, to engageand move a coupling-rod or plunger I3 against the force of a spring (notshown) for moving a valve-rod i4 of the pump.

During sub-zero weather, vapor in the gasoline 5 supply tank will becomecondensed, and the water thus formed, heavier than oil, will becomemixed and will move wtih gasoline to the fuel pump, and on account ofthe exposed surface of the pump casing the mixture will often becomefrozen in the l0 pump.

It has been found that by the use of the herein described protector thefuel mixture in the pump will not become frozen by reason of exposure tolow temperatures, said protector consisting, in 15 part, of aheat-insulating band i5 adapted to fill the annular depression in thecasing 4 between the flange l and coupling-ledge 9 thereof, theremaining part of the protector for the upper casing l being aheat-insulating cap il adapted to 20 overlap the band l5 and great-erportion of the part fl of the pump casing.

The protector for the part l as thus described answers all purposes inpreventing the condensation or freezing mentioned except during extreme25 cold Weather, but to provide protection against extreme lowtemperatures the heat-insulating cap i8 is provided for covering thatpart of the pump-casing indicated at 8.

As thus described, the parts Il and i8 of the insulators may be readilyremoved from the pump-casing whenever required. However they arenormally disposed slidably upon said parts 4 and 8 of the pump-casingwith the flat surfaces at their open ends engaging the ledges 9, and toprevent accidental removal of the lower part I8 or either part ll or i8they are removably connected by any suitable means, the means hereinshown for this purpose being a compressor or coupling-band i9 providedat its ends with fastening 40 devices 2@ for pressing said band againstthe adjacent end-portions of said insulators, the lugs 2l of said bandbeing adapted to engage therein as shown in Fig. 2.

The use of the protector, .as described, not only prevents condensationor freezing of the contents of the pump but it permits a free flow ofthe liquid at all times, for the gasoline moves sluggishly when partlyfrozen, and the use of the protector maintains the pump and contentsabove the freezing point.

Relative to the parts l5, I1 and i8, any suitable insulating materialmay be used, and I have used asbestos for these parts to advantage.

I claim as my invention,-

1. A protector for a fuel pump having a. twopart valve casing providedexteriorly with an annular recess, comprising a band within said recess,a heat-insulating-cap on one part of the casing overlapping said band, asecond heat-insulatingcap on the other part of said casing, and acoupling-element on the two caps for securing them together.

2. A protector for a fuel pump having a twopart valve casing providedexteriorly with an annular recess, comprising an insulating bandwithprojections arranged to be pressed into said insu- 10 lating-caps.

JAMES E. FOSTER.

